Friday nights
by A Traveler
Summary: Bones asks Booth to help her do some cultural research.


_Just a short little fluffer!_

_**FRIDAY NIGHTS**_

Booth loved Friday evenings.

Back when he and Rebecca were together, he'd loved going to movies, dance clubs, or out to eat. There was something relaxing, freeing, about being out on the town knowing you could sleep it off the whole of Saturday if you needed to. Then, after they'd split, he'd enjoyed meeting women, first dates, hanging out and trying his luck at pickups.

Then he and Cam had spent a lot of Friday nights together. They were fun at the time, but he didn't really like to dwell on those times any more.

Then came Friday night after Friday night where he didn't want to go out. At first, he'd felt odd about it. Who stays home on Friday nights? But he discovered that, after an emotionally draining week solving murder cases and chasing bad guys, he actually liked time to himself. He'd watch TV, work on some small woodworking project, listen to music, or, when it was his weekend with Parker, play video games, go to the museums and eat junk. And on those occasions when he did meet someone for drinks or dinner, it was invariably the same person and the same place.

Every time. Bones. The Royal Diner.

Tonight he was happy to have no plans, to be alone, sprawled out on the couch like a lump. It had been another grueling week, with a tough case, the kind that you solve and still nobody is happy. Having to tell the family that their daughter's remains had been positively identified had been almost as painful for him and Bones as it was for the family. He'd tried not to, and he knew Bones had too, but they'd gotten too personally involved in this one.

Cases involving kids always made him have nightmares where Parker was substituted in place of their current murder victim. He would invariably get too close to the case, feel the pain of losing the child too keenly. These kinds of cases unleashed his unspoken deepest fear, that of losing his only child. With every day that passed, Parker became more and more precious to him. And these murder cases drained him more and more. So tonight he lay sprawled in front of a football game, eating chips from a bag on the floor, distancing himself from everything that had happened over the course of the week.

A soft knock echoed at his front door and Booth snapped out of a light doze. Not sure he'd heard anything, he waited until the same tentative knock sounded again. He was pretty sure he knew who it was. He was on his feet in a moment, not at all resentful of the intrusion. Funny; he wouldn't have opened the door to anyone else, but her presence was always welcome. Having her over wasn't like having company; a lot of Friday nights they both sat like lumps, saying nothing, just being together. He didn't have to explain, or make excuses for his lack of energy. She already knew what he'd been through, because she'd been at his side.

"Come on in, Bones," he said as soon as he opened the door to her. She followed him back into his living room where he plopped back down on the couch and patted the cushion next to him. She collapsed next to him with a heartfelt sigh. She must have come straight from her speaking engagement at the university, for she was dressed in a navy blue shift that fit her perfectly and had on hose and navy heels. Her necklace shimmered in a waterfall of delicate silver chains that set off her lovely face. Booth took a long look, enjoying the view. She was oblivious to his attention, pointing instead to the television.

"What are you watching?"

"Let's see… there's a rerun of "The Office" playing, a disaster movie, you know; the "destroy the world in 60 seconds" variety…" he flipped through the channels, having abandoned his football game when she came in, trying to find something she might like.

"What were you watching before?"

"The Eagles are playing Dallas in Philadelphia." Out of politeness, he tried not to let on how badly he wanted to watch that game.

"Let's watch that. I've been trying to understand the rules of football for a while now."

"Awesome," a happy Booth crowed, flipping back to the game and settling into his corner of the couch. Smiling at his enthusiasm she kicked off her heels and tucked her feet up beside her. For a few minutes, the comforting drone of the announcer and the background noise of the crowd soothed them. When the game ended, Booth muted the set.

"Are you okay, Bones?" Something about her demeanor had set off Booth's inner sense of caution. He turned to face her, one knee on the couch.

"Sure, I'm fine," she said quickly. He waited. There was more inside waiting to be drawn out, he just knew it.

"No, something's bothering you. Come on, tell me."

"It's silly."

"Tell me anyway."

"Earlier this week in the interrogation room, when the suspect asked where you'd found me, and you said in a museum, that wasn't in reference to the Jeffersonian Institute, was it? I mean, you were talking metaphorically and I think you were saying that I'm out of touch with contemporary culture. Is that what you meant?"

Booth shifted uncomfortably. He remembered the moment. He'd seen her face fall for a second or two after his mindless quip, but being the professional she was, the look was gone instantly. She'd conducted the rest of the interview with confidence and professionalism and taken his mindless comment for what it was: mindless. Or so he had hoped.

"I was just joking around, Bones; that's all it was. It was nothing. I mean, you are kind of out of touch with—well, let's call it the popular culture—but that's because you are a scientist, and you are trained to think differently than your average, day-to-day person out there." He stopped to take a breath and to look closely at her to see if she was buying it. She was not.

"A while ago, you told me you had finally figured out who I was… your grandmother. I'm fairly sure you said that because I happen to appreciate classic movies that you think are outdated."

"C'mon, Bones, what is this? I was just joking around. Are you going to dredge up every little thing I've ever said to you? We spend a lot of time together. Sometimes, I'm going to say things to you that are just junk—nothing more."

"I don't believe you were joking, Booth. And I don't want to be out of touch with popular culture. As an anthropologist, I study cultures in depth. The least I can do is to understand my own a little better."

"What are you getting at?"

"You know a lot about contemporary social structure and how to operate within it."

"Thanks, I think. And? I know you, Bones. You want something and it involves me, right?"

"I was just wondering… as a favor… and you are completely free to say "no"… if you could take me out on Friday nights for say, a month? Take me to various places where people congregate on weekends that would help me learn a sufficient amount about what is important to normal people, so I am more effective in our work."

"If I agree to do this, will you promise to try to fully participate in whatever activity I choose and not step back and study it like a scientist?"

"Is that what I do?" Brennan marveled out loud. She pondered Booth's comment on why she didn't seem to fit in. After a minute, she turned and looked him in the eyes.

"I promise to fully participate," she said decisively. "But I need you to tell me when I'm stepping back, as you put it. I'm not always aware of when I do that."

"Great," Booth said with an enthusiastic grin. "We can start tonight. Give me a minute to change and we'll go."

"Where are we going?" Bones was already on her feet, scrambling for her purse, coat and shoes.

"I want to surprise you," he called out as he strode into his bedroom to change out of sweatpants.

The restaurant was on the Potomac River; one huge wall of windows overlooked a marina. Since it was already after nine, the sounds of live music greeted them from the dance floor beside the bar as Booth asked the maitre'd for a table for two. Soon they were seated next to the dance floor at a cozy corner table, private and low-lighted.

Booth gave the menu a cursory glance and then indulged himself in watching his beautiful partner as she gravely studied hers, unaware of his scrutiny. This idea was growing on him, he had to admit. This was the first time in a long while that he was excited about going out on a Friday night. And he wasn't afraid to admit to himself that the prospect of going out with his gorgeous, quirky partner at his side was the main factor. She was a lot of things, but she was never boring.

After they finished eating, Booth stood up and extended her a hand. A look of surprise came over her. Taking his hand but not yet standing, she frowned.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm taking you to the dance floor for some cultural interaction," Booth said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "You're not going to improve your social skills sitting in front of your empty plate."

"Of course," Bones said sheepishly. She rose to her feet and allowed Booth to guide her through the dimly lit restaurant to the bar, where a kaleidoscope of colored lights swirled over a dance floor already crowded with couples. The song was an upbeat ballad, not too slow and not too heavy metal. Grasping her hand more firmly, Booth twirled her out onto the floor and then caught her up against him. He moved around the floor flawlessly, so that Bones had no trouble following his lead and found herself quickly getting caught up in the fun of stepping in time to the music. If the genuinely happy grin on his face was any indication, he was enjoying himself as much as she was.

"I didn't know you danced, Bones," Booth commented. "You're pretty good. Do you go out dancing often?"

"Why are you so surprised that I know a few dance steps?" She sounded annoyed.

"Not surprised, no—impressed! It's just, I thought the point of going out was to help you learn some cultural stuff, and here you know a lot already." Booth pulled her in close as the music slowed down and maneuvered her into a dark corner of the crowded dance floor. She stiffened in his arms and gave him an uneasy glance.

"It's okay, Bones," he soothed. "Hey, you know what I said in the interrogation room—you're right, it was just a lame attempt at humor. I don't really think you're out of touch. You just see things differently. I like to see the world through your grid, Bones. I'm very sorry that I hurt your feelings."

"You didn't hurt my—"

"Bones," Booth admonished. His lips were beside her ear and he said her name with a hiss that warmed her earlobe. He felt a shiver run through her and he couldn't help pulling her closer.

"Yes, I did. And I'm sorry," he repeated. "So where do you want to go and do research next Friday?"

"We haven't done any research here, yet."

"We're starting off slow."

"I see. Well then, since you are the expert in this area, what do you suggest?"

"How about a hockey game?" Booth asked hopefully.

It had been several weeks since Booth and Brennan had begun their Friday night research expeditions when she showed up in his office one morning. They had been working on a case for a few days now, and today they were taking a road trip to follow up on a lead in Charlottesville. Bones was ready, but Booth was still rifling through the files on his desk. After a few minutes of patient silence, Brennan stepped forward, pulled out a file with a green label from the stack on his desk, and handed it to him.

"Oh, hey! Thanks. Okay, let's go." Grabbing his FBI jacket he took her by the arm and guided her to the elevators.

"Booth, I've been thinking about our Friday night outings, and I don't think you are picking places that maximize social interaction."

"We're surrounded by people; what are you talking about?" He escorted her into the elevator and punched the ground floor button.

"Well, we went to a restaurant and danced, we sat and watched a hockey game, we went to the aquarium and walked through all the exhibits, and we went to a movie—I don't think I've talked to anyone but you in any of those settings."

Booth quelled an uneasy feeling. Maybe she was onto him. He'd been enjoying their Friday nights way more than he thought he would, and he'd been picking places where he could spend uninterrupted time with her. At work, he never got more than a sentence or two out before somebody was butting into their conversation. But on Friday night, she was all his. For a few glorious hours every Friday, they were together in a world not defined by work or obligation, but their shared interests. And he'd been enjoying it a whole lot.

"Well, you talked to the waitress," he pointed out lamely.

"To order my meal," she giggled.

"And at the aquarium you bumped into that lady..."

"I said two words. "I'm sorry,"" she said, grinning widely. "Booth, admit it, we haven't talked to anyone but each other."

She had to jog a few steps to keep up with Booth's long strides as they left the building. It was raining so he put an arm around her and hurried her across the lot to his car. He took a deep breath once they were fastened in and decided to go for it. Before he could change his mind, he reached for her hand.

"What's wrong with that?" He challenged, his thumb playing with her fingers. "What's wrong with just talking to me?"

She looked at their joined hands, then back to Booth's face, and he was thrilled to see the light of understanding dawn in her eyes.

"Nothing; nothing at all. It's great, actually."

He couldn't believe it. She hadn't let go of his hand, and she was looking at him in a way that up until now he'd only dreamed of.

"You need to take that exit," she instructed, pointing.

"Oh!" Booth careened off the highway and down the exit ramp to Highway 29. Once they were sailing smoothly again, he dared another glance. Yep; still looking at him. Her hand was still warmly clasped in his. His heart filled with joy.

"So, this Friday, I was thinking about driving up to Skyline Drive. There's a waterfall you need to see."

"I can't wait," she said. "So… I guess this means the social experiment is over."

"We can revisit it some other time. But for now, I think I can come up with some other areas of research you might like," Booth offered.

Bones' eyes sparkled. "I can't wait."

_That's it…_

_The End_


End file.
